Lemon

About Lemon
The lemon is a citrus fruit known for its tangy acidity. Tree-ripened lemons are especially sweet, and thus many of the lemons available to us in supermarkets have been picked green and ripened artificially to allow for more acidity.

Choosing Lemon
Look for unblemished, firm lemons that feel heavy for their size and have no tinges of green (which indicates that they're underripe). Avoid very pale lemons, as they are older, and will contain less juice.

The best lemons for juicing or using for wedges are those with a smooth, thin skin. The best for zesting are those with a thicker, knobbly skin, which tend to be on the large size.

If you intend to use the zest, buy unwaxed lemons (shops should state this clearly). If you can't find them, scrub the lemons thoroughly before zesting.

Lemon Storage Tips
Lemons will be fine for a week or two at room temperature, but they last longer in the refrigerator—up to six weeks when kept ziplocked in the fridge “crisper.” Lemon zest can be frozen, as can lemon juice (try putting the juice into an ice-cube tray and then bagging the cubes to keep in the freezer).

Lemon Cooking Tips
Serve fresh wedges or slices with fish or add to the pan when roasting veg or meat. Add the zest to salads, baking or sauces. Use the juice to make salad dressings, lemonade, deglaze a pan or add a couple of drops to water to make acidulated water. Use the flesh and peel in marmalades and preserves. Halve and use to stuff a chicken before roasting.

Lemon Benefits

• Lemon act as blood purifier and improves the body’s ability to get rid of toxins.
• Lemon fruit is excellent in fighting disease that's related to infection.
• Buy lemon to get rid of certain insects. It’s mother nature’s version of insecticides and will help to repel mosquitoes and flies
• Some people love antiseptics and would apply it to their skin whenever they have the smallest cut. The good news is you can use lemon on cuts too since it's nature's antiseptics. Not only that, because of its styptics property, it is said that lemon could be applied on cuts to stop bleeding.
• Drinking lemon juice is useful for people with heart problem - because of its high potassium content.

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